dbjc364's Blog

Ok, that wasn't so bad,
Feb 26, 2011 | 1:54 AM PST
Tag: drama..

as they said. Only the 6 inches,not the amount they felt we were going to get.And pretty much no high winds here,maybe they got some on the coast but not inland. J did the first plowing for an hour,and got the bulk of it-but will spend 1/2 the day today pushing back and clearing it up better.My roof didnt get anymore on it,and I got 3/4 of it done before supper,so will finish it this morning.It never even rattled the antenee' back and forth when it blows real good here,so they overdramatized it.Silly weather guys, tricks are for kids...
   Well, I want to win the bet, J says 4 more storms,I said 2.Thats number 1. I need spring to roll in now.The store was out of nut coal,so J picked up Pea coal,but we'll be coming into warmer weather so Pea will be fine.,and he went to the dump,before the storm started.But excuse me,now they call it the "Transfer Station".I knew it would be weeks,and I mean weeks,before the kitchen wall is built.Money, time,and life's general daily interruptions will always make sure of that.The part one is building up the floor under the fridge and cabinet,to be close to the level of the other floor,the first piece of OSB is cut & down.It sure would be nice to get this done down to the sheetrock for the month of March,since in April we're usually doing things outside.But anyways,it'll eventually get built by spring.The sun is suppose to be shining today,so the snow will start melting fast...
 

Oh,no, not again,,
Feb 25, 2011 | 2:09 PM PST
Tag: more white stuff...
As I type ,we're being hammered with Snowmagedden.A cousin to Snowzilla on Feb. 3rd. Well, we were overdue I quess.I put a small pork roast in the oven, J will don the suit and start the tractor up.So far we've got at least 5 inches. They're saying up to 14 inches on this one.Its coming down fast and furious,but small flakes,with blowing winds.I guess I should also don the suit and start clearing the roof before dark, as I've got some time before supper is ready.Of course, I'll have to do it again in the morning.Too bad, we were down to seeing quite a bit of dirt and mud in the driveway.Well, no matter- March is so very near now, and spring is on the way,the snow has alot of moisture in it.They said high winds with this one,its blowing good,but not enough to rattle the metal roof when it blows real good.Ok, off I go to snowland...

Sun,wind, and cold
Feb 20, 2011 | 12:06 AM PST
Tag: spring is on its way..

is what we're getting now.No storms in the last 2 weeks?, since Snowzilla anyways.Its been a bit quiet in the tool/building department also,the closet went in-Yippee!,with a curtain hanging in the front.Extra big wide shelves,angled in the corner,so doesn't take up alot of space,and now the ugly stink pipe is hid forever.Hubby got to use his new tool,and likes that one for sure.When we do finally get around to re-doing the bathroom,we'll just take it apart,then reuse the frame again.
        A 3 day weekend for us and we're not tearing apart/destroying something,which seems pretty strange.Hubby did some extra office work on Saturday,taxes are almost done,I'm cooking a turkey dinner for todays dinner, and both the brothers are coming-which is rare,so everybody must be low key this weekend with not much to do.Last year I only caught a bad head cold from Landon, this year it was the 24 hr. flu at the beginning of the week-but it took till Friday for me to feel normal again, and venture out for a little while.Missy,Landon & I all caught it,but Dad and hubby didnt,which was good.The last time I had the flu was 4 yrs ago in the old living room.Ok, I'm over it now,and onto better things.Well, this extra padding comes in handy during winter,as I went down on the slippery ice also on friday.All the parking lots are like bottled glass,and alot of sanding them is going on.I went down gracefully and didnt feel it till the next day,but I was soaked,so I'm glad I was headed home. Alot of puddling water from the rain and melting action and it was cold.A small bruise on my arm, and a bit sore on my butt and thigh,but that padding saved the day! even though I was just a-cussing.Their turning our Walmart into a Super Walmart,and every trip up there,they've moved a wall out,moved shelving and items.Takes me a bit longer as nothing is in the same place twice-but their coming along good,so it won't be much longer and it'll be done.I needed a thinner bathrobe because of the hotflashes,and did get one for $7 on sale,plus some grocery items.I've never been able to find one under $20,so that was great, but a pound of butter has gone up to $3 now.Since we refuse to eat the crap on the market that they like to pass off as butter,it just means that I dont make as many chocolate chip cookies.I also tried to use the Crisco in place of butter,but the recipe did not come out the same.You just can't beat the real thing.The pepper plant basking in the sun of the window has grown 2 peppers,a bit leggy,but I hope they make it.High winds all day yesterday,but it sounds as if its calmed down quite abit now.After I get my turkey in the oven this morning,I thought I'd shovel the deck off finally,since the sun & wind has taken at least 1/2 of it off for me.I know we're on our way to spring, I can just feel it in the air.These are our March winds,and we'll most likely get another snowstorm before its all over,but I'll be mowing early again this year.Patches of grass/mud are appearing in between the snow/ice spots,and hubby will go up and get a couple buckets of sand for the driveway.The daughter and I finally got out to go play Bingo friday nite,and we both liked it,and will go again this next week if we can.Brothers birthday isnt till early April,but I had a $5 off coupon,& picked him up a garden greenhouse,the one with 4 shelves.He can set his seedlings up a bit earlier and keep them protected,and also be a bit more organized with all the trays. He started saving seeds last year so he says he doesnt have to buy any this year,and has got my other brother into gardening as well.I've had my mini greenhouse for 8 years,and use it every year,now the plastic really needs replacing,so I hope I can find one reasonable,otherwise I'll make my own.I haven't started priming my kitchen island yet-so this week thats on the agenda.My 2 compost cans are full,so I have to start a 3rd,so I quess my can runneth over...
   
 

  
 

Snowzilla,
Feb 3, 2011 | 1:55 AM PST
Tag: wher'es the sun..?
I think is what they ended up naming it.They had a bit of a contest on the news for the best name.We got lucky with this one,just a good ol' fashioned dumping.Since we cleared the liv. room roof twice,we know it was at least a foot,since it was bare when we started.When we do it together, it takes us a 1/2 hr.,so that wasnt bad at all.More cold than anything,and very little wind like they predicted.Once in awhile it would gust up a little,but thats it.No power out here,not even a flicker.And no cars on the road which I'm sure helped.Just the big rigs heading to their destinations, and the steady hum of the plow every half hour.It came down heavy for most of it, and fast.But this time, a light and fluffy snow.No making a snowman with this one thats for sure.We cleared the deck once, and I wiped all the railings off so I could tell how much more we got in the night.By then it had stopped,but they said we'd get more during the night.I looked out the door when I got up, and we got another 3 inches.The daughter hates the state of Maine during winter-always has.Wants to live someplace else.Actually we've had it pretty good this winter,with just a dusting for xmas,2 small storms in Jan.but each time it was on Tuesday-Wednesdays,and messing up everyones week.Well, I made a batch of Choc. Chip cookies,we all needed a nap in the afternoon between the shovelings,and the cookies got hit hard.Hubby got as far as doing the paper figuring for the closet,then up the street in the morning for the lumber before the roads got bad.Thats as far as that went,as there was too much snow to deal with.Well, it was a nice wish.The front porch wasn't cleared from the last storm which was a heavier snow,then this started piling up.Both of us have seen what a snow load can do the last few years to structures.Its been shored up good,but I still didnt trust it,so while he did the tractor, I got the roof rake, and cleared it from the ground.I also watched the upcoming forecast.That took me a bit of time,but was able to reach it all.Depending on the sun & wind, its a roll of the dice,which roof will clear itself.The next storm brewing is coming in from the ocean, which means a heavier snow- on Saturday.A planned birthday dinner will do another day if we are going to get it again.Well, at least the daughter and I can do the birthday lunch today,and the sun is suppose to be out shining.Thruout the day we e-mailed back and forth,and she was going a bit crazy about the storm.You'd think she'd be used to it by now.I told her to count her blessings she lives here and not Australia this week.That was really bad,and I hope no loss of lives.Well, our neighborley Pennslyvannia groundhog {Phil}did not see his shadow,and spring will come early.We're in trouble if it does.There will be flooding for sure.I dont want it to come early,as the bushes need their sleep.I waded out back,hip deep, to take the long icicles down,I'm pretty sure we'll lose at least one of the 2 gutters this year,I'll be surprised if we don't.I have a pretty good imagination,but its hard for me to imagine the daffodil,crocus,and tulips popping out back right about now,and its so funny to hear those across the country that are doing some gardening.It looks like so much snow,its hard to imagine it'll go away by May,but it always does.I'm glad its a short month too.Well, now we're taking the next 2 days clearing the little stuff,preparing for the next one,and pushing it back to make room.I dont like the spot we plunked the camper,so next year it'll be in a diff. spot.Too hard to clear and get around it.The snow is getting high outside the sides of the deck,I told Jim we'll be standing in an igloo,all nice and warm pretty soon,and can fire up a barbaque.People are getting quite inventive with building with snow these days on the news.A gang of kids here,built a huge fort to hang out in,complete with xmas lights,and bottles of Cocoa Cola.I'm not a soda drinker,but I had a coke a couple weeks ago, and it isn't anything like it used to be.Now that was real Coke,and they should have left the recipe alone.I say my thanks to the gods above that we didnt have to move & clear the cars of all this snow.Their nestled in their bays with just a dusting on their back windows.Thank goodness we had the time last summer to change out the lattice in the front to solid sides too.As the plastic wasnt holding up,it would have taken on alot of snow.This year we get to paint,add the battens,and board up the last section of the back side.It looks like that closet won't be started till saturday now.Today I will putter with the snow removal,and await the next one...

Another storm warning,,
Feb 2, 2011 | 2:35 AM PST
Tag: a nor'easter coming..
and all across Maine,we're tuning into our tv's or radio's as ususal during the winter.We have the tv on non-stop during the day whenever a winter storm is approaching.We've been watching this one very closely coming across the nation headed right for us.In a way, I like these types of storms better, as we have enough time to get to the store for supplies,and we have enough warning.The ones that sneak in sideways from the water are different.Yesterdays storm brought just the 3 inches,but of course market shelves are being emptied, as people are preparing themselves-and one has enough time to get to another store if they cant find what they want.In general,we're pretty prepared thruout the winter,as we have a small freezer. I try to keep a few loaves of bread in there anyways all the time,2 doz.eggs on hand,a gal.of milk,a case of toilet paper.Since I have the spare room,I buy the toilet paper by the case whenever I can, as its ususally cheaper in bulk anyways.Flashlights are working,plenty of candles,one stove will heat us without electricity,the other needs to be hooked up to the small generator.Last year just before a storm, a part on the generator broke.Its since been fixed,and it turned out it wasn't needed anyways.Its always a good thing to fire them up in the fall,to make sure everything works right,so this year we payed attention and checked it.Jims usually off on tuesdays,but if we have a bad storm coming,he'll switch his day.If he still needs more time for catching up, he can always work a weekend day when the phone isnt ringing,and get alot more done.Today he will start my closet,in between hopping on the tractor to clear the many inches we'll get.Their saying anywhere between 1 & 3 feet for 3/4 of our state.Just the very top near Canada isnt going to get much.Its suppose to start sometime around 9 this morning,going into thursday morning.For us in central maine,a snow event,just the coast will get some freezing rain.We hate the rain part,as basically one can't do anything outside till the sun starts melting it,and power is usually lost in thousands of homes.Woodstoves are quite common in our state,and anyone who doesnt have one,after a good power outage,usually ends up getting  one for a back-up,as soon as their able to.The sales for a back-up propane monitor or woodstove usually increases after people have gone without power and heat for a day.All it takes is one good storm, and no heat and frozen pipes for one day to make the light bulb go on,and make it a top priority to do so.I've been after my daughter for 6 years about this.Each time, I get the same reply."Oh, our power co. is real good, we seldom lose the power, and its never for very long.Her household depends entirely on electric.Thats all her eggs in one basket,and there's no way I'd be depending on that one basket to pull me thru.Since I'm 50 something,I've seen alot of storms,weathered alot of power outages.I think the only time in my life I went without heat, was when I lived in the city renting an apartment that depended on electric,and that was no fun.Its not like they can't do anything about it,they choose not to.I try to explain to her,its not just the lack of power,its also for mechanical break-downs,or if you dont pay attention and run out of oil.I've seen her go thru all 3 scenerio's.Each time she calls me,just a-********,because the house is getting cold.Now- she was with me growing up, and went thru some of those power outages,and of course, since I was the parent, I took care of it as expected,and we made it thru just fine.Now-a-days, the power co. I would say is alot better,especially after their light bulb went on, and they started making sure they cut back the limbs on trees that were too close to the lines.Their summer program of cutting has evolved the last 10 years to pretty good,and if it goes out,its usually not for long,at least in this part of the state.Other parts,not so good.But,all in all, I still don't trust it.I'm not depending on just one company to keep my butt warm.When I was growing up, we lost the power alot during the winter,we had alot of snow every winter,but we also had woodstoves,so it wasnt a big deal.The only thing that changed was making sure we had enough candles on hand for 5 kids to play monopoly and rummy,and enough food in the house,because it works up an appetite when your out sledding.So now, the cribbage board is nearby on the shelf,we've got our projects to attempt inbetween shoveling,,the tractor is running good,and the shovel is greased up.We have a propane cooking stove,which heats up the place quite nicely when I'm baking something,so I quess I should think of something to bake today.I already took out a container of soup for lunch,and just in case, I'll draw a few buckets of water for flushing the toilet.I did manage to get the daughter into that habit at least,so she does that every bad storm,but she has to eat cold sandwiches, as she chooses to have the modern electric stove.Now,when is that light bulb gonna come on...